POLPO

Winner of the Inaugural Waterstones Book of the Year 2012 For our very first Waterstones Book of the Year, we wanted a book that reflected publishing’s response to the growing threat of the internet. A book that showcased fine production standards, something beautifully-written, a volume unafraid to celebrate the niche and showcase that to a much wider audience. Russell Norman’s Polpo was that book. Taking as its source the culinary fare of Soho’s Polpo Restaurant (now a group of some seven establishments, dotted around London and further afield), Norman’s book distilled the restaurant’s glorious individuality and eclectic charm. This is simple, backstreet venetian food, delivered with impeccable taste and knowing style: a bàcaro, serving humble but superb food and good honest wine. Polpo’s pages capture all this and more, transporting the reader to the heart of the food. Stunning design frames every recipe, a cornucopia of flavour, where Spinach, Soft Egg and Parmesan Pizzetta meets delicate Fennel Ricotta. It’s a book to inspire. Polpo set a fine standard for a subsequent Waterstones Book of the Year winners, and also established a precedent for us in celebrating titles that mirror our own independence and enthusiasm.